What's On in Birmingham

Luke Combs UK - With Full Band Live - Birmingham — The country music phenomenon gets the full-band treatment at Luna Springs Digbeth, one of Birmingham's most atmospheric outdoor venues, from 6:00pm. This is a tribute act done with serious ambition — big sound, big songs, and the kind of warm Friday-night energy that turns strangers into friends. Tickets are a very reasonable £20–£25, making this a brilliant value summer evening under the open sky.

Gramps Morgan UK Tour — Son of the legendary Denroy Morgan and a Grammmy-winning member of Morgan Heritage, Gramps Morgan brings his rich, deeply soulful reggae to the O2 Institute Birmingham at 7:00pm. This is a genuine artist with decades of roots and culture running through every note, and seeing him in a room this good is a privilege. Grab your tickets for £25–£30 and prepare for something that will stay with you long after the last chord fades.

Crate Diggerz Presents Nicky Blackmarket — Drum and bass royalty arrives in Kings Heath as Nicky Blackmarket — one of the true architects of the UK jungle and DnB scene — takes over Hare and Hounds from 9:00pm. This is not just a night out, it is a masterclass in vinyl culture from a man who has been holding down dancefloors since the early nineties. At just £8–£10 a ticket, it is one of the unmissable underground moments of the summer.

Heathen Apostles + Beltane Moon — For something genuinely unlike anything else on offer this Friday, the Hare and Hounds Kings Heath earlier in the evening hosts Heathen Apostles and Beltane Moon — a heady blend of gothic Americana, dark folk, and dusty desert noir from 7:30pm. It is the kind of gig that feels like a secret, held in a venue that knows exactly how to frame music that lives in the shadows. Tickets are £11–£16.

Tai Orathai & Phai Phongsathon Live - Birmingham — Two of Thailand's most beloved country and luk thung stars bring their celebrated sound to Ramgarnia Birmingham at 3:00pm, in what is certain to be a joyful and emotionally charged afternoon for the Thai community and curious music lovers alike. Luk thung is a genre with a huge and passionate following, and catching it performed live at this level is a rare treat in the UK. Tickets are £59 — a fair price for an event this special and this hard to find anywhere else in the country.

Queen Appreciation Night — The Cuban Embassy at the Bulls Head hosts an evening dedicated entirely to the music of Queen from 8:00pm, and if you have ever wanted to bellow Bohemian Rhapsody in a room full of like-minded devotees, here is your moment. It is unpretentious, gloriously fun, and welcoming to absolutely everyone — from lifelong fans to those who simply cannot resist a good riff. Entry is just £6–£11, making it a seriously affordable Friday night treat.